RUSSIA, QATAR COOPERATION

GULF TIMES - As part of his official visit to Qatar, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his accompanying delegation paid a visit to the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) Secretariat in Doha.

Discussions regarding energy policy were an important component of the Russian delegation's trip.

Russia and Qatar, both major producers of natural gas and key GECF members, have resolved to align their energy policies.

"We agreed to continue co-ordinating steps in the global energy market, including with the Doha Gas Exporting Countries Forum", Lavrov stated at a press conference following a meeting with Qatar's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.

The relationship between the GECF and Russia is a long-standing one. Russia is one of the forum's founding members and has been a great supporter of the organisation.

The country acted as host of the Second GECF Summit of Heads of State and Government of GECF Member Countries in Moscow earlier.

"So there was plenty of food for discussion during yesterday's meeting," GECF said.

Apart from the anticipated exchange of views on topics of mutual interest, GECF secretary-general Dr Yury Sentyurin familiarised Lavrov with the forum's range of deliverables — from the 'daily brief' to the 'Global Gas Outlook' — and informed him of important recent events like the GECF's participation in the 9th IEA-IEF-Opec Symposium on Energy Outlooks last week and major upcoming events such as the 21st Ministerial Meeting in October and the 5th GECF Summit that will take place in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in November this year.

Sentyurin also took time to discuss the forum's progress on its environmental agenda, such as the GECF's recently obtained status as an Observer to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its participation in the G20 chain of events relating to energy transitions.

Likewise, the secretary-general made mention of the wider work the GECF has undertaken with other UN subsidiaries.

"The overall goal of the meeting was the further strengthening of the sound relationship between Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the GECF," the forum said in a release.

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